The Mysterious Man

The Mysterous Man

     Sitting across the room from me was a strange man.  As he took a sip of his beer and impatiently glanced at the door I watched him.  I hope he didn't notice me.  I thought as I glanced over.  He was different, maybe he was a spy waiting for his contact to meet him.  Maybe he was a murderer planning his next crime.  I shouldn't let my imagination run wild but I can't help myself.  He stares at his phone, maybe receiving a text or call.  Looking back at the TV it's 7:10, he glares at me and I get a shiver down my spine.  Was I going to be his next victim?  It's scary not knowing sometimes.  He randomly pulls out a magazine and gently flipped the pages.  As he pays for his food he gets ready to walk out the door, then suddenly all you can hear are police sirens.  Was I right about him could he possibly be a criminal?  I may never know but I just had to find out.  I snuck out the back door and quietly followed him, he was running.  Sneakily keeping pace behind him, I saw a car out of the corner of my eye.  Maybe this was a piece to the "Whatever is happening" puzzle.  I quickly looked at the license plate number: 7213F94.  Where was he going. I thought.  He gazed back and all I thought to do was tuck and roll out of sight.  He stopped and suspiciously looked in my direction.  "Did he see me, I better find a new place to hide."  I roll under a car and stay quiet.  He looks for me but can't find me.  As he walks away a feeling of relief quickly overcomes my body.  That was close but I quickly got up and followed him, I still had to know.  He ran behind a building and suddenly disappeared.  Was I crazy, I had the guts to follow him but where did he go.  I went back home that night and tried to forget about the series of events that had occurred.  I was to scared to sleep so I called Trina, one of my friends since middle school.  She came over and I told her about the mysterious man. 
"Riley you are crazy, Why would you follow him!"  Trina exclaimed.  "Are you trying to get yourself killed!"
"No, I was just investigating."  I said.  "It's important to know what's going on near you."
"Yeah!"  She breaks into tears.   "But you could have been killed, and then I would've lost my best friend."
I hugged her and said.  "But I'm not dead...yet!"  She quickly stopped crying, that's when we both realized that this wasn't going to be any ordinary 16 year old sleepover.  We had to make this sleepover extra special.  I blared the music and got out the fog machine, Trina got out the disco ball and made some snacks.  We had a party... and it had gotten a little out of control!  Being that my parents were out of town on an archeological dig I shouldn't say it got a little out of control.  Lets just say that we didn't supply alcohol but it somehow got here along with maybe about 50-100 people.
  By 4:00 am the cops were knocking on the door and I sent Trina to find the most sober adult at the party.  The only problem with that was we were the only ones who were sober.  Then what Trina did next was Genius, she went in my parents room and played dress up.  About five minutes later she came rushing down the stairs and didn't even look like she was 16 anymore she looked at least 30.  How did she do that?. 
"Trina what are you thinking, you are going to get us arrested!" I yelled over the blaring music.
"Nope I'm just Investigating on a genius level."  She shouted.  I hope she doesn't get us busted.  I thought, as she talked to the officer.  Trina always did come through for you last minute. 
By the time I was done getting everyone to listen to me Trina was coming back inside the house and she was really flushed, almost as if she had gotten caught or something...
"Trina, you okay?"  I asked trying not to sound freaked out.
"Riley" Trina said softly.  "We need to get all of these people out of here before I tell you what the cop and I discussed."
"Uhh okay."  I replied sounding unsure.  "Everybody listen up!"  Trina and I screamed almost in sync.  "We need every0ne out within 10 Minutes, Riley's parents are coming home really early and if they find out we're having a party they'll call the cops."
Okay so Trina was officially the best liar that I knew.  Everyone suddenly rushed for the door and got out in record time, just about 2 minutes.  Now came the hard part cleaning up the mess, but first I took Trina up to my room, sat her down and asked what her and the cop discussed. 
"Riley promise me you're not going to freak out on me if I tell you this." Trina said.
"okay but I might depending on how terrible it is."  I said sounding like a kid who just found out that santa's not real. 
"There's a murder and the police suspect that he/she just moved here..."  Trina said almost to scared to process the words that were coming out of her mouth.  "I think you saw him Riley... and if you did see him than you are the detective's only hope."
"Okay I'll call the cops now and tell them that I might have a lead on their case, that I might be able to help."  I said.  Then we both heard a strange noise, it sounded a if a lock was being busted.  Next we heard footsteps and Trina turned pale and started shaking, I realized that she was looking out in the hallway past me. 
"RUN" she mouthed to me practically crying.  I turned around and saw the guy from the restaurant walking through the hall.  We were upstairs where were we supposed to go?  Then he looked straight at us and I grabbed Trina's hand and almost automatically ran straight for the window, I broke the glass and we ran onto the roof outside of my bedroom.  He ran out too.  You could tell he was gaining on us but I was practically pulling Trina.  At that point there was nothing going through my head but to get as far away from this creep as possible. 
"I knew there was something off about him as soon as I saw him!"  I said breathing heavily as we were running.
"Yeah I should've came sooner" Trina said.
"Hey it's not your fault that I had to investigate my neighborhood in the middle of the night, I just didn't think that it would lead to me finding a murderer."  I joked, almost immediately wanting to take it back because this was no time to joke around.  We ran to a gas station about a mile from my house which wasn't that far but it was far enough.  As soon as we got there we told them what was going on and they didn't believe us but they still let us use their phone which given the circumstances was great.  The line was busy or maybe it didn't ring at all.  I wouldn't know I was to shocked to even think about anything except finding a safe place.  I didn't think the murder knew where we were but after we tried contacting the police several times we were then informed that the telephone line had been cut and we knew we weren't safe.  Why did this have to happen to us? 
"Riley I don't think we are going to be okay at all"  Trina said.
"There's a murderer after us and you know he won't give up without a fight."  I admitted.
"I'm really scared."  Trina said.  "I've never been in a situation like this before." 
"Alex!"  I shouted.  "Alex is working across the street and he's like a brother to me he would do anything for me!"
"Yeah Riley, but the only problem is how are we going to get over there"  Trina whined.
Before you knew it we were both put into the trunk of the gas station owners car and transported across the street.  As soon as we entered the restaurant I took shaky breaths this was where I first saw the criminal, but it was also our only chance of living.  I was so relieved to see Alex, he was the only one who would believe me besides Trina who was living this horror story with me.  After I told Alex what happened I didn't know what I expected from him.
"I don't know what to tell you guys, I can probably find you someplace to hideout until you are safe." Alex said.
"Yeah but what if we are never going to be safe again."  I nervously asked.
"Riley that's not going to happen you'll eventually be okay one way or another the cops will catch this guy and before you do anything else you have to call your parents."
"Okay give me your phone."  I said.  When I took his phone something happened, nothing felt right in my world.  I felt so vulnerable I realized only then, that I was in a lot more danger than I had originally thought.